Thermal electric cut-out



RI HI THERMAL ELECTRIC CUT-OUT. APPLICATION FILED we. 1. 1916. RENEWED SEPT.29, I921. I

1,415,253. v Patented May9,1922.

l1 TOHNEYS UNITED STATES ROY H. MAPLE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

THERMAL nnnc'rmc cur-our.

Application iled August 7, 1916, Serial No. 113,541.

To all whomit may concern: Be it' known that I, ROY H. MAPLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Thermal Electric Cut-Out; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts.

The object of this invention is to improve the form of electric circuit breaker or cutout shown in my prior Patent No. 1,261,256, granted April 2, 1918.

One object of the invention is to eliminate the pig tail shown inmy former construction, which object, as well as other objects, is attained by bending the switch member inwardly so as to directly engage the free end of the thermal strip.

Another object of the invention is to make the construction more compact than before and more easily operated. This object isaccomplished by the construction above mentioned and also by splittingthe end of the switch member so that it will fit astride the free end of the thermal strip and the endsof, the switch'member engage a transverse pin or the like mounted in the free end of the thermal strip; and also providing means in connection with the switch employed for controlling the lighting system adapted to rock and move the free end of the thermal strip and the pin therein upwardly out of engagement with the switch member. This enable the disengaging movement of the thermal strip to be reduced much less than the movement of the thermal stri in my prior construction and that ena les the length of the thermal strip to be greatly shortened so that in the improved form it could be but little more than one-half the length of the thermal strip in my prior form. I

In this connection the means for giving the free end of the thermal strip a disengag- 1ng movement is slotted so as to provide. a passage through which the thermal strip extends.

The full. nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of'the device. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section just inside of the front plate Specification of Letters Patent.

' as seen in there are push buttons Patented May 9, 1922 Renewed September 29, 1921. Serial No. 504,149.

as if the front plate were removed. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a figure similar to Fig. 5 with parts in. releasing positions. view of the switch releasing lever or means.

There i shown herein a front plate 10 which may by screws 11 be secured to the inside surface of the dash board of an automobile or other part, not herein shown. It has a frame formed of an inner parallel plate 12 made of non-conducting material secured to the front plate by the bolts 13 and surrounded by a wall 113 so as to enclose the mechanism within the frame and so that said plate 10 and 12 will be held spaced apart.

There are two switch membersshown in the drawing, one for the ignition system and one for the lighting system, both of'said switch mechanisms being enclosed in the one housing. On the surface of the plate 12, which lies in the rear of the front plate 10 is a bus bar 15, which is attached to the plate 12 by means of screws 16 and from this bar there extend inwardly projecting arms 17 and 17 which have transversely extending pins 18 and 18' the pins being split as best shown in Fig. 4. Helical thermal strips 20 and 20' for the ignition and lighting systems respectively are coiled around said pins 18 and 18' rather tightly and thejnner ends of said strips lie and are secured in the split'ends of the pin. 7

There are pins 21 and 21' secured in and extending through the outer or free ends the thermal strips 20 and 20' respectively, and with their ends extending laterally beyond said thermal strips in both directions coiled somewhat more than two times. Switch members 25 and 25' are located between the plates 10 and 12 and are mounted in said plates by rods 26 and 26' which extend through openings in 27 and 27 which extend through openings inthe plate 10. The lower ends of the switch members 25 and 25' are adapted to wedge in between split spring contacts 30 and 30' which are secured'tothe plate. 12 by means of binding" posts 28 and 28. The upper ends of the switch members 25 and 25'. are curved or bent inward, as best shown in Fig. 1, almostto the rearplate 12 and then are turned at right angles to form thereon, the ends of- Fig. 3. The thermal strips are the plate 12 and 7 Fig. 7 is a perspective catches31 and 31, adapted when the switch members are pushed inward, to pass beyond and be engaged by the pins 21 and 21 and held in circuit closing position thereby, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

When either thermal strip is heated, it will expand and its free end and the pin 21 or 21 will move laterally and disengage or release the part 31 or 31 of the switch member 25 or 25 and then a spring 33 or 33' will return the switch member to its outer and open position, as shown in Fig. 6. The springs 33 and 33' surround the rods 26 and 26 and ride between the main parts of the switch. members 25 and 25 and the rear plate 12.

When it is desired to close the switches, the push buttons 27 and 27 are forced inward by directing pressure thereon and to enable them to pass by the pins 21 and 21' carried by the free ends of the thermal strips, the inner ends of the switch members are bent, or curved to form beveled extensions 32 and 32, said extensions, when the switches are closed projecting into openings 35 and 35 in the plate 12.

The parts 31 and 31' and 32'and 32 of the switch members are bifurcated or divided as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that when the switch members are in unlocked or outward position, the thermal strips will pass between the bifurcated ends and will guide and hold the parts in proper relative position.

With this construction, the device can be made in very compact form, the main parts of the switch members lying very close to the thermal coils and then being bentinward and directly engaging the thermal coils and with their ends split and fitting astride the thermal coils and resting against the pins 21 and 21 respectively, the length of the thermal coils being considerably diminished, because their free ends do not have to move only very slightly and not to the considerable extent required in my former device. And yet when the switches are in closing position, the thermal coils will hold them closed positively on' account of the pins 21 and 21 engaging the shoulders 31 and 31'.

Therefore, means is provided for manually releasing the switch mechanism connected to the lighting system so as not to keep the lights burning except when needed, which means is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and consists of a block 40 of non-conducting material, shown; herein rectangular and fitting loosely in a second-hole in the front plate 10, formed by punching inward a tongue 41 which has a lip 42 on it which serves as a top for preventing the block 40 from being pushed inward. A plate 43 is secured to said block 40 and curves upwardly over the post 18 and is recessed, as shown in Fig. 3, at 44, so as to permit the thermal strip 20 to pass therethrough and at its inner end it is turned backward to form a hook 45 which engages the inner free end of the thermal strip so that when said releasing member, composed of the parts 40 and 43, is rocked like a lever on the plate or tongue 41, the hooked end 45 will move the free inner end of the thermal strip upwardly away from and out of engagement with the. inner end 31 of the switch member 25' and. release it. Said plate 43 has laterally extending arms 46 that project in front of the pin 21' and between it and the center of the thermal strip so as to hold the releasing member in, engagement with the free end of the thermal strip loosely but securely.

The free end of each thermal strip terminates preferably at a point slightly above the horizontal axial center of the coil strip, so that the free end of said coil will act quickly owing to the presence of the spring 33 of the switch member which counteracts the spring action of the thermal strip and thus permits the switch to release with a relatively slight amount of current.

The invention claimed is:

1. A thermal switch construction including a base plate, a helical thermal strip with its inner end fixed to said plate and the other end free to move when the strip is influenced by change in temperature, a lateral projection on the free end of said strip, a movable switch member with one end slotted to receive said thermal strip, said projections normally holding said switch member in closed position and releasing therefrom when the strip is expanded, and a spring for opening said switch member after it has been released.

2. Athermal switch construction including a base plate, a helical thermal strip with its inner end fixed to said plate and the outer end free to move when the strip is influenced by change in temperature, a lateral projection on the free end of said strip, a movable switch member with one end thereof slotted to receive the free end of said thermal strip and adapted to be engaged and held in closed position by said lateral projection on said strip and to be released thereby when the strip is expanded, and the split end of said switch member being turned backward to form a beveled surface for engaging said lat eral extension on the thermal strip and passlng the same when the'switch member is being closed," and a spring for opening said swltch member after it has been released.

3. A thermal switch construction having a base plate, a helical thermal strip mounted upon said plate, the inner end being in fixed position and the outer end being free to move when the strip is influenced by change of temperature, a lateral extension on the outer end of said strip, a switch member movably mounted so as to be movable at right angles to the base plate and having a projection nor- 'to the axis of the thermal strip said mally in the path of the free end of the thermal strip, the free end thereof being recessed to receive said thermal strip, said projection resting against said lateral extension, whereby said lateral extension will hold the switch member in its closed position, the extreme end of said switch member being formed with a bevel so that when the switch member is being closed, it will push said lateral extension on the outer end of the thermal strip out of the way, and a spring acting between said switch member and one of said plates for returning the switch member after it has been released.

4. A thermal switch including a base plate, a helical thermal strip in said frame with the inner end fixed to said plate and the outer end free to move when the strip is influenced by a change in temperature. a switch member movably mounted near said thermal strip and with a shoulder movable at right angles shoulder engaging the free end of said thermal strip when said strip is contracted and disengaging therefrom when the strip is expanded, means for returning said switch after it has been released by the thermal strip, and rocking means for positively moving the free end of said thermal strip for releasing said switch member.

5 A thermal switch construction including two plates in fixed relation to each other and spaced apart, a helical thermal strip mounted in connection with one of said plates and located between said plates with the inner end thereof secured in fixed position and the outer end free to move when influenced by change of temperature, a switch member slidably mounted in said plates near said thermal strip with one end forming a shoulder which projects in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of movement of the free end of the thermal strip when moved by change of temperature, said shoulder being engaged and the switch held in closed position when the thermal strip is not heated, a spring after it has been released, and a releasing member extending loosely through one of said plates and having means at one end for engaging the outer end of said thermal strip whereby when the releasing member is given a rocking movement by depressing the free end thereof, the free end of the thermal strip will be released from said shoulder.

6. A thermal switch construction including two plates in fixed relation'to each other ,and spaced apart, a helical thermal strip mounted in connection with one of said plates and located between said plates with the inner end thereof secured in fixed pos1- tion and the outer end free to move when influenced by change of temperature, a switch member slidably mounted in said plates near said thermal strip with one end forming a for returning said switch member and spaced apart,.'a helical shoulder which projects in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of movement of the free end of the thermal strip when moved by change of temperature, said shoulder being engaged by the thermal strip and the switch held in closed position when the thermal strip is not heated but will be released when the thermal strip is heated, a spring for returning said switch member after it has been released, and a releasing member extending loosely through one of said plates so as to rock thereon with the inner endlof said releasing member engaging the free end of the thermal strip for positively moving the same to release the switch member.

7. A thermal switch construction including two plates in fixed relation to each other and spaced apart, a helical thermal strip mounted 'in connection with one of said plates and located between said plates with the inner endthereof secured in fixed position and the outer end free to move when influenced bychange of temperature, a switch member slidably mounted in said plates near said thermal strip with one end forming a shoulder which projects in a plane substantially parallel with theplane of movement of the free end of the thermal strip when moved by change of temperature, said shoulder being engaged by said thermal strip and the switch held in closed position when the thermal strip is not heated but will be released when the thermal strip is heated, a spring for returning said switch member after it has been released, one of said plates having a tongue therein at a right angle to said plate and having on its inner edge a rectangular lip, and a releasing member extending through the opening formed by said tongue and, having bearing on said plate so as to rock thereon, said lip preventing inward movement of the releasing member, the inner end of said releasing member engaging the free end of said thermal strip for moving the same to release the switch member.

8. A thermal switch construction includ ing two plates in fixed relation to each other thermal strip mounted in connection with one of said plates and located between said plates withthe inner end thereof secured in fixed posi'- strip is heated, a spring for returning said switch member after it has been released, one of said plates having an opening in it formed by a tongue punched inwardly from said plate, a block fitting loosely in said opening and arranged to rock on said, plate, and a plate extending rigidly from said block inward and having an opening to receive said thermal strip, the inner end of said last plate being downwardly curved and hooked under the free end of the thermal strip for moving the same to release the switch member.

. 9. A thermal switch construction including two plates in fixed relation to each other and spaced apart, a helical thermal strip mounted in connection with one of said plates and located between said plates with the inner end thereof secured in fixed position and the outer end free to move when influenced by change of temperature, a switch member slidably mounted in said plates near said thermal strip with one end forming a shoulder which projects in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of move-1 ment of the free end of the thermal strip when moved by change of temperature, said shoulder being engaged and the switch held in closed position when the thermal strip is not heated but will be released when the thermal strip is heated, a spring for returning said switch member after it has been released, one of said plates having an opening in it formed by a tongue punched inwardly from said plate, a block fitting looselv in said opening and arranged to rock on the edge of the opening formed.

ROY H. MAPLE. 

